Improvement in mechanical telephones



S. S. PARSONS, F. R. SHAW & G. N. DANIELS.

Mechanical Telephone.

ATTORNEYS.

Reg 9 El z e New? w UNITED STATES PATENT Grates.

SOHUYLER S. PAR-SONS FRANCIS R. SHAW", AND GEORGE N. DANIELS, OF CHATHAM CENTRE, OHIO.

IMPRQVEMENT IN MECHANBCAL TfiLEPt-iQNES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207 436, dated August 27, 1e7 application filed June 18, 1878.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known thatwe. SCHUYLER S. PAR- sons, Fnancrs R. SHAW, and GEORGE N.

DANIELS, of Ghatham Centre, in the "county of Medina and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Telephone, of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a ,vertical longitudinal section of our improved telephone on line a: 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 -is a front elevation of the same with parts broken ofi and Figs. 3 and 4 are, re-

spectively, a. vertically-transverse section on line 3 1, Fig. 4, and a front view, of our improved insulator for supporting the transmitting main wire.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to improvements in acoustic telephones, so that'in place of the usual muiiied tone aclear sounding of the diaphragm is obtained, and the confused ringing tone in common telephones done away with; and the invention consists of a diaphragm of cloth or other textile fabric that is mounted in an open wooden case. The transmitting-wire branches out into a number of smaller wires that are jointed to the main wire and attached to the diaphragm. The

' main wire is hung to insulators, which are made of sheep-skin that is placed in a frame with a central'opening, the frame and sheepskin being slitted, and the latter re-enforeed at the slit Referring to the drawings, A represents a diaphragm of silk, duck, or other textile fabric, which is tightly stretched between two circular sections of a wooden case, B, that is attached by posts to a Vertical support, 0, so

' as to be free on all sides.

The open wooden case improves the sound, as it is free on all sides and removes the muffied tone, while the cloth diaphragm and small wires destroy the confused ringing tone of the common acoustic telephones.

As the small wires are scattered over the diaphragms, they collect and transmit the vibrations of the diaphragms more perfectly than when only one wire is used in the center of diaphragm.

The transmitting-wires are hung to insulators E, especially where the main wire curves or forms an angle.

The insulators E are constructed of sheepskin that is coatedon each side with a solution of gum-shellac dissolved in alcohol, so as to stiffen it and protect it against the weather.

The sheep-skin is retained bya frame made of two thin blocks of wood, through which a round opening is cut byan auger. The frame and sheep-skin are slitted from a point of the edge to about the center of the sheep-skin, the sheep-skin being re-enforced at the slit (2 by a strap, 1), of the same materiahwhieh is passed through a cross-slit of the sheep-skin below the lower end, and retained by the frame at both ends. The main wire D is admitted through the slit into the insulator E,'and supported at the lower re-enforced end of the slit, the insulator retaining the sound in superior manner at points where the main line passes around an angle and is exposed to some strain. For straight linesof wires common strings or cords may be used as insulators.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. The combination, with the transmit-tingwire D, of the radially-slitted insulator E, reenforcing strap 6, and the two bore-slitted blocks, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In acoustic telephones, the combination, with a vibrating diaphragm, ot a textile fabric of a transmitting main wire, connected by a number of branch wires to the diaphragm, substantially as specified.

SCHUYLER SEAGER PARSONS. FRANCIS ROMANZO SHAXV. GEORGE NEWTON DANIELS.

Witnesses:

J. C. SNELL. T. G. Looms. 

